IMPROVEMENT OF PASTURES IN EASTERN NEW YORK, ETC. 9 



On those areas where it is impossible to take a wagon, commercial 

 fertilizers can be used to excellent ath'antage. Fertihzers contain- 

 ing principally phosphoric acid and potash would probably give the 

 best results. It is also probable that a small quantity of such ferti- 

 lizers could be used advantageously in connection with manure. 



Lime should also be used, especially on the low pastures that are 

 not well drained. However, it should not be applied at the same 

 time as the manure or the commercial fertilizer. If manure or ferti- 

 lizer is applied in the spring the lime would probably give better 

 returns if put on the previous fall. 



CULTIVATION. ^ 



Wherever a pasture is smooth enough and sufficiently free from 

 stones to be plowed, the best plan will be to plow the land and grow 

 cultivated crops on it for two or three years, or until the weeds have 

 been killed. It can then be seeded down and if properly handled will 

 soon become an excellent permanent pasture. 



Under the average New England pasture conditions, plowing is 

 not possible. The great ma}orit3^ of pastures in this region are on side- 

 liills that are too steep for profitable cultivation or else are too full of 

 rocks to permit economic farming. Cultivation in such cases will 

 consist of using a disk, spring-tooth, or peg harrow, depending on 

 which one is best adapted to individual conditions or easiest to ob- 

 tain. The cultivation will consist of loosening the old sod and form- 

 ing a sort of mulch to prevent too great evaporation and to cover 

 whatever native seed there may chance to be. The harrow will also 

 be of great value in pulverizing the droppings and distributing them 

 more evenly, thus greatly increasing their value. In many instances 

 cultivation can be practiced only in connection with reseeding or the 

 use of fertilizers. \Vhere reseeding is practiced and the land is too 

 rocky for the use of farm implements the seed can be worked into the 

 ground by the use of brush harrows. 



RESEEDING. 



In many instances reseeding will greatly quicken the process of 

 restoration. If a farmer desires to reseed his pasture a mixture of 

 .timothy, red-top, bluegrass, and white clover will be the most prac- 

 tical one. The timothy will give the quickest returns, but will run 

 out after three or four years. It will last long enough to give the 

 other grasses, which require about three years, time to become 

 established. This seed can be broadcasted by hand, or the method 

 of a very successful New York farmer of always spreading a few 

 ounces of seed over the top of his loaded manure spreader when top- 

 dressing his meadows and pastures can be followed advantageously. 



iClr. 49] 



